Raheem Morris, who served the past three seasons as the Washington Redskins’ defensive backs coach, is leaving the team to accept a position with the Atlanta Falcons, a person with knowledge of the situation confirmed on Monday.
Morris will reportedly join the Falcons as a co-defensive coordinator charged with overseeing the passing defense. Dan Quinn, the Seattle Seahawks’ defensive coordinator, is in line to take over as Atlanta’s next coach following the Super Bowl on Sunday.
Quinn was an assistant coach at Hofstra from 1996 through 2000, when Morris played safety and then assumed a role as a graduate assistant.
The stint as a defensive coordinator would be a first in the NFL for Morris, who coached Tampa Bay for three seasons but otherwise has been a defensive backs coach. He was the defensive coordinator at Kansas State in 2006.
According to NFL Network, Denver Broncos linebackers coach Richard Smith is expected to orchestrate the run defense.
The Falcons previously hired Kyle Shanahan, formerly of the Cleveland Browns, to be their offensive coordinator. Shanahan was the offensive coordinator of the Redskins from 2010 through 2013 and was on his father Mike’s coaching staff with Morris those last two years.
Washington hired Joe Barry, formerly the linebackers coach of the San Diego Chargers, to be its new defensive coordinator last week. Three of the four position coaches — Morris, defensive line coach Jacob Burney and outside linebackers coach Brian Baker — will not return.
• Zac Boyer can be reached at zboyer@washingtontimes.com.
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